A charcuterie board is the perfect choice for casual entertaining. Works as beautifully at at BBQ as it does for the start to an elegant formal dinner. It can stand alone at a cocktail party and it is always sure to be a crowd pleaser. Charcuterie boards have been a trend for quite some time, so if you haven’t attempted to build one…It is now time! Just in case you are friends with Ms. Suzy Charcuterie, who intimidates us with her cheese and cracker skills, I’m here to set your mind at ease that you too can create a beautiful, edible display that will impress your guests.
Now….let’s not make this too complicated. Follow these simple guidelines and you will have yourself one beautiful board for your next gathering!
CHOOSE A BOARD
It’s not called a board for nothing! Traditionally, a wooden board is the vehicle for all that deliciousness. However, I have used everything from a lazy susan, a turkey platter, or a large ceramic platter of any shape. I have also used my entire kitchen island to display all the charcuterie goodness (see photo below). A vintage silver tray would be gorgeous. My favorite is a hand carved wooden board that my best friend’s husband made for me. You don’t need to buy anything special…chances are you have something in your kitchen that will work. However, there is a plethora of boards available through sites such as Amazon, Etsy, West Elm, and even Hobby Lobby.
CHOOSE THE INGREDIENTS
There are endless options for ingredients, but you can keep it simple. You do not have to make it complicated, unless you want to! Here’s a formula for a successful charcuterie board every time. If you are making a simpler, smaller board you can cut the quantities and variety of these ingredients in half.
*3-4 types of Cheeses – a combination of soft and hard cheeses is best.
*2-3 types of Meats – salami, prosciutto, ham, and pepperoni are good choices. You can find pre-sliced assorted meats in the deli section of your grocery store.
*2 types of Crackers – instead of crackers you can use bread slices, bread sticks or pita chips
*3-4 Condiments – items such as olives, nuts, raw vegetables, dried fruits, jellies, jams and honey
*1-2 Fruits – grapes, berries, apples, pears, figs, and oranges are all great options and will add beautiful color to your board
ARRANGING YOUR BOARD
When arranging your board place the cheeses first, then the meats and then fill in the gaps with everything else. See my “Tips & Tricks” for more guidelines on arranging your charcuterie board. Channel your inner artist and have fun with it! Trust me, you really can’t mess this up and your guests are sure to love whatever you put together for them. And if they don’t? Well, that may be the last invite they get, right?
OTHER TIPS & TRICKS
-Imitation is the best form of flattery. Find a picture of a charcuterie board and copy it! You don’t have to go any further than this post to find some inspirational photos.
-Use little bowls to contain nuts, olives and crackers. You’ll also want a bowl on the side for any discarded items such as olive pits or toothpicks. Place a toothpick and a pit in the bowl, so that guests know that it is trash and don’t confuse olive pits for pistachios. This happened at one of my parties….true story.
-Although a charcuterie board is meant for mainly finger foods, make sure that you do have some cheese knives, and small forks or toothpicks for picking up some items.
-Buy a pre-made meat and cheese tray and rearrange it on your own board. Add some nuts, fruits and crackers and you’re good to go. This is a great time saver and no one will ever know that you took a shortcut!
-Choose bright colored fruits and vegetables for the most visual impact such as strawberries, oranges, yellow peppers, and green sugar snap peas.
-Charcuterie boards are not limited to savory items only. Feel free to add in sweets such as chocolate or cookies. Or, make a dessert charcuterie board made entirely of sweet treats!
-Use flowers or herbs to enhance your board visually as shown in the picture below. Just make sure you choose flowers that are safe if touching food. And, of course, WINE!
No two boards are alike and that is part of the fun – creating a new charcuterie combination every time! The possibilities are endless, so enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Be Blessed,
The Whoopsie Daisy Hostess
The Whoopsie Daisy Hostess 